The Franciscan Inn, Santa Barbara, CA

Chilly out today, and I walked about 11 miles yesterday, so today I am playing with my built-in web cam thingee. Scary jet-lagged...or perhaps even LIFE-lagged, eye.  :)  Thanks for the bottle brush info, Mom. Damn if they don't look like bottle brushes...

The Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA

Marc Irwin explaining to me that, no, I don't sound like Tony Bennett. This the theatre that John Cleese came to see us in, once.

Santa Barbara, CA

OK, Mom, what the heck kind of tree is this? They're everywhere here!

Harbor, Santa Barbara, CA

Here's me looking New York-y and out of place.Awfully pretty place. Three days here! Woo-hoo! I kiss at you!

LAX

They're refurbishing the old-school Jetson's-style space-age restaurant out front of the airport that no one has time to go to.

Tower Theatre, Bend, OR

Crowded backstage area.

Thump Coffee Cafe, Bend, OR

I had a hot chocolate with cayenne pepper in here. Curiously delicious!

These are wishes children have drawn on shingles and then had hung from the ceiling. "I wish I could drive the Batmobile..." "I wish the world was peaceful...." "I wish my parents weren't fighting..." Kinda sweet and poignant.

Dulles Airport

The disconsolate throng teeming in front of my gate tells you gettin' to Bend, Oregon ain't gonna be no picnic. Off to a great start!

Ballston, VA

I am positive it's been at least several days since I brayed my praise of Bob & Edith's most excellent diner.

Downtown

The Atrium of the Ronald Reagan Trade Center. Designed to metaphorically resemble Reagan's head, it's large, impressive, and utterly empty.

Getting onto the 14th St. Bridge

It's rare that you feel sorry for a motorcycle...

Sterling, VA

On the way to Lansdowne for a show. In your old neighborhood, the cranes commiserate at dusk...

Washington, DC

The anti-semites are getting subtler...

Around here...

...even the gas pumps are not native English speakers.

Club Nine, NW DC

Jon's tour hits DC. This is him manipulating extremely loud music at his noise gig. Even with quality earplugs, it made me half queasy. The headline act was even louder.

Bailey's X-roads

I wonder if I'll ever need to rent the Fresh Meat, Beer, and Wine Banquet Room? It's right across the street if I do!

Meanwhile, out back...

The dirty, filthy, empty pool is now the dirty, filthy pool full of dirty, filthy water.

Progress? I say yes!

National Harbor, MD

Once again a lovely view of the sun setting over the new Wilson Bridge from the Gaylord at National Harbor.

Arlington

If you blow this up, you can see the surliest, funkiest, attitudinous, cigarette-smokin'-est Lady Liberty you've ever seen. The local Spanish tax preparer has had some kind of character out on the street in front of his place here all month. I also highly recommend the elderly Uncle Sam with the ear buds and Napoleon Dynamite dance routine...

Tyson's Corner, VA

This is the hideous, rotted, infected, abscessed tooth that has been killing me for six months.

And the woman who labored mightily with a full complement of terrifying hardware for 45 minutes to pry it out of my mouth: Dr. Kristina Nguyen, 4'11", 98 lbs. with the face of a model and a smile that could melt lead. Again with the women who hurt. I am one sick puppie. And really, really sore right now. But once this heals, it'll be the first time I don't have a wanging toothache for six months. So I got that going for me...

Arlington

Jo and Matt about to head back south.

Springfield, VA

Bob and Matt Hazzard, Jo and I, and introducing...Midnight!

Bailey's Crossroads

This is a skyline view of the Skyline Building in the heart of the Skyline complex. How deliciously and pointlessly recursive.

Probably cost almost as much as this!

Which is a very nice and groovy thing. Good eye, Dad. But we knew that from seeing Mom. Love you guys!

Sometimes you find the darndest things!

HP-21 calculator: I'm guessing circa 1977-8? How much was this, Pop? Now you get them free from realtors and the like...

Of course...as I'm heading out...

...this arrives. Sweet! I'm not even going to open the box until a time when I can uninterruptedly fondle it at my leisure. Like...later. Yay! Thanks, Pops, for the past and future help with this!

Good Lord! Deja vu!

Ok, the other was for Paul's kidney, this is just for me. Although the girl who stuck me was so cute, I would go every hour on the hour to be tormented by her. I guess I like women who hurt...

The Decapitational Steps

Ann Schmitt, me, Nancy Dolliver, and TW. Photo by the ever-helpful Dave Kane.

Lancaster, PA

A Holiday Missive

Ok,this really made me laugh. That is even worse than the Steps' costumes. Creepiest bunny suit ever! Love y'all.

Rt. 50 at Graham Rd.

This used to be a Kroger. Then it was a place where you could race slot cars. Remember going there, Dad? Now it's the Harvest Moon Chinese Buffet. I feel like eating there once just so I can experience ALL its incarnations.***

*** ...that I'm aware of...

Fairfax, VA

It occurs to me: how would you even know if your urologist was sexually harassing you? I guess soft music and dim lights might be a clue.

Hey! Wait a minute.....

Chinatown, DC

Going to take a couple of months of krav maga. Bury me in something pretty.

These are some of the people who punch me. And today...strangling!

Fort Ward, Arlington, VA

Immediately upon the declaration of hostilities at the advent of the Civil War, the Union ringed the Nation's Capital with some 164 forts. I stumbled on Ft. Ward today, with some help. It is a quaint, telling, and appropriate fact that of the 164 forts, only one managed to get into a fight: Ft. Stephens.

Meanwhile, out back...

Things are starting to green up a little bit. Hope your day there is as nice as it is here! Love ya, Mom!

Hot at the Grand Hyatt

And not in the good way. In the drippy, yucky way.

Retrying video

Jeopardy tryouts, Germantown, MD

...

Well, I had thought the tryouts sparsely attended when I eased into the auditorium and signed up at number 91 with no line or wait. As the auditorium filled to capacity, and the line grew to ludicrous proportions outside, I became thankful for my earlybird tendencies.

The answer is: Jeopardy tryouts, Montgomery College, Germantown, MD

What is...way more screwed up, confusing, and disorganized than I thought it would be?

I think if you can figure out what they want you to do, then you automatically get on the show. Confused dunderheads have abandoned the auditorium in head-shaking, brow-furrowed droves, unable to cope with discerning whether your sign-in sheet number, random row assignation, or wristband hue contains the clue to their future returning championships.
As for me, I am number 91 out of 1000, as far as I can tell, and lurk quietly in the background, ready to strike...

An appearance by Miss Kate!

We ate lots, naturally.

INOVA, Fairfax

Finding out my blood type. So far...red.

Hella rainy...

Jon's tour...

If you wonder how Jon's Noise Tour is going, you can follow his progress at http:/takearideonspacemountain.blogspot.com

I cannot vouch for what you may see there. Jon travels in curious circles and has been known to share the stage with junkies, drunkards, and performance artists who smear themselves with fake blood and simulate intercourse. Good times, good times...

2000 Connecticut Ave.

Across from the 'Hinkley' Hilton. The cherry blossoms are pretty even at night. Tell Mitch Happy late Anniversary!

Chinatown, 7th & H, NW, DC

Took a class in Krav Maga today : Israeli self-defense. Sometimes you just need to get punched.

Sorry for the bad language...I was very cranky

And I can't edit after the fact. :(
Love you guys...

Next Door

I've tried to remain in a good humor about this, but if you look closely at the wooden platform center left, you will note workman swarming over it demolishing it with hammers. They began 4 minutes ago, at 7am. I fucking hate morning people... If I pulled that shit at midnight, people would be up in arms. Screw morning people.

JW Marriott, Washington, DC

A more typical Steps evening: a reverse view of a badly concocted video paean to the leading light of some corrugated box manufacturers' association.